The Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy has reissued comprehensive guidelines for admissions to private aided and unaided schools for the academic year 2025–26, across all curricula including CBSE and ICSE. The directive prioritizes equity, accessibility, and financial transparency in the admission process.
To ensure inclusive practices, the department mandates that 50% of seats in co-educational schools be reserved for girl students. Unfilled seats can be allotted to boys. Additionally, reservations for SC, ST, and OBC students must be implemented, with exemptions granted to linguistic and religious minority institutions.
In line with transparency norms, all schools are required to publicly display and publish their admission schedule, seat availability per class, medium of instruction, and complete fee structure. This information must be accessible via the school’s notice board, official website, prospectus, and the SATS portal.
To curb commercialisation, the government has prohibited capitation fees, and any collection beyond the officially approved fee will attract strict penalties. Schools are also banned from conducting interviews with students or parents during the admission process—such practices will be treated as violations.
CBSE and ICSE-affiliated schools have been reminded to align their admission procedures with board regulations and state guidelines. The department has urged full cooperation from school managements to safeguard student rights and promote fair, non-discriminatory admissions.
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